USDOE Budget Update: No Way to Sugar Coat It— Bad News

According to an Education Week blog post by Lauren Camera on June 23, the Senate Appropriations Committee has increased the funding for USDOE by $1,100,000,000 over the House budget. That’s still not good news since it represents a cut of $1,700,000,000 over the current level. This is all in advance of the real budget battle, which will likely take place in the fall… but it does show where both the House and Senate agree on cuts… and it doesn’t look good for at risk children. Here’s where cuts seem inevitable:

…the proposal would slash funding for a slew of education programs and eliminate 10 others, including Investing in Innovation, Preschool Development Grants, and Striving Readers.

…School Improvement Grants would be cut by $56 million,Promise Neighborhoods would be cut by $20 million, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers would be cut by $117 million. Other cuts would include:

Migrant Education would be cut by $9.8 million

Teacher Quality State Grants would be cut by $103 million

State Assessments would be cut by $28 million

Safe and Drug-Free Schools would be cut by $10 million

Elementary and Secondary School Counseling would be cut by $26.6 million

Teacher Incentive Fund would be cut by $5 million

Magnet Schools Assistance would be cut by $6.6 million

Advanced Placement would be cut by $5.6 million

English Language Acquisition would be cut by $25.3 million

Eventually it appears the conservative wing will get its wish and the Department of Education’s budget will be small enough to drown it in a bathtub… and if the test-and-punish regimen persists few will lament it’s passing.